Page 60 of Touch in the Dark

“He needs you to hold his hand you mean,” Doris gives her a knowing look. She has no damn idea how close to the truth that is. “You don’t need to leave, just like you don’t need to stay,” she looks to me. “I’m fine, the doctors are looking after me.”

“If you think I’m leaving you, you’re crazy,” I tell her.

“Well, I’m warning you, I’m tired and I may fall asleep, so you’ll be sitting here staring at my teeth.”

Elsa lets out a small laugh and Doris smiles at her.

“You both look as tired as I feel, Nick, why don’t you take Elsa to get some coffee while I have a cat nap. You can come back and annoy me later.”

“Doris,” I pinch the bridge of my nose.

“I’m fine. Well, as fine as an eighty-year-old with a broken arm and a head injury can be. Get a drink and something to eat, you’re not eating enough, you’re wasting away as I look at you.”

Another soft laugh from Elsa. If anything, I’ve gotten bigger over the last few weeks. It’s Doris’s way of letting me know it’s okay to leave her. But I can’t. Not yet.

“How about I go get some coffee and sandwiches for all of us?” Elsa suggests.

“You don’t have to,” I say.

“Nonsense,” she touches Doris’s good arm and smiles. “You keep an eye on him while I’m gone.”

“Oh, I will,” Doris replies.

We both watch Elsa leave. Doris turns her inquisitive gaze on me. “I like her.”

“Yeah… well…”

“Are you courting her?”

“No one says courting anymore, Doris,” I pull up a seat and sit down.

“Okay then, are you bumping uglies?” My eyes widen in horror and Doris chuckles. “Doing the horizontal mambo?”

“If you don’t quit it,” I groan.

“She’s very pretty, and kind too. She has kind eyes, and a beautiful smile. She looks at you like she knows you well.”

“We’re… Friends?” I run a hand over the back of my head. “It’s complicated.”

Doris frowns at my description. “Well, uncomplicate it. Any girl who would come all the way to the hospital with you to see your foolish grandmother, then dash off to get things to take care of you, is a keeper.”

It’s best not to engage, she’ll just keep at it and the last thing I need is Elsa coming back hearing my grandmother telling me I need to grab Elsa with both hands. Not that I wouldn’t mind doing that. Just not in the way Doris means. Or it could? I shake those thoughts away.

I explain to her what the doctor said about her recovery and that she will come home to me, and her face darkens slightly.

“No,” she says.

“No? What do you mean no? You need to be looked after.”

“I know that, but not by you.”

“Why not?”

“I love you, Nick. I do. And I’d do anything for you, and I know you’d do the same, but darling,” she picks up my hand and gives it a squeeze. “You are not showering me.”

I recoil slightly at that. “I’ll get a nurse,” I answer quickly.

“We’ll figure something out, but I won’t impose,” her eyes shutter slightly.

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